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I'M NOT UNEMPLOYED ANYMORE!!! (i.e., I Got A Job.)

We decided this all happened because this morning, Tim found 4 (FOUR!) Frosted Mini Wheats stuck together like a little four-leaf clover. It was there all along, our little good luck charm!

Okay, okay, so probably the prayers helped too. Just sayin'.

So, I'm sure you want to hear the deets. And I'm equally sure that you want to hear me brag about it, too. (But even if you don't, I'm still going to brag about it, so there.)

I had a fourth interview last Thursday that was supposed to be a video chat conference with two other managers from other stores, one from Knoxville and one from Memphis. My video chat didn't work or they couldn't get through to me, so the manager from Knoxville ended up calling me and we just had a phone interview. I told myself for this interview that the goal was to make the Knoxville manager like me so much, he'd wish I had applied to his store. We had a great chat and I think he was impressed with my background and experience.

The nice thing about all of the interviews I had with Apple was that I didn't feel like I had to pretend to be someone else. I'm sure we've all had the experience of going into a job interview and saying, "Oh, yes, I just thrive off of restocking merchandise--sometimes I practice at home just for fun!!", just so we can impress someone or get the job. I knew going into it that they wanted enthusiasm and energy, and I didn't feel like I had to fake it. In fact, I felt really, really happy in all of my interviews, like I was in my element and was going to be able to work for a company I could really enjoy working for. So, anyway, my interview with the manager from Knoxville went well. He even got to tell me about Dollywood, and we spent a couple minutes talking about how much we loved Dolly Parton. Weird, I know. But I loved that it was so casual! I really felt like I could just be myself. Oh, and BTW, before we leave Nashville, I will go to Dollywood and experience it in all of its kitschy glory.

The manager I had been working with from the beginning didn't tell me what to expect after the interview as far as when I would hear about the job. I waited all weekend for him to call or email, but nothing came. On Monday, I sent him an email around 8 in the morning, asking what the next step would be and what I could expect. He emailed back and said he expected to get in touch with me within the next 24 hours.

It was pretty excruciating. If we didn't get this job, we had nothing, and we needed something. And I really, really wanted this job. Every time I got a new email, or someone called, I was sure it would be Apple calling, but it wasn't. I really started to second-guess myself and worry that I wasn't going to be hired. It was a huge exercise of my faith in God. I'm not very good at waiting, or depending on someone else, or not knowing what is coming up or what the plan is. But every time I started to have doubts, I just tried to calm myself down. I told myself that I did everything I possibly could to get this job, and that I felt good about everything I had done up to this point. It helped a little but I was still anxious. Every time I got nervous, I would just pray a little harder.

So, of course, yesterday Johnny still hadn't called. I wasn't sure if that was a good sign or a bad sign--maybe they were taking so long because they were deliberating about if I'd really fit at Apple. I had no idea.

This morning, I checked my email, as I have been doing compulsively lately, and it was there! An email from Apple, with a subject line of "Good Job" (pun intended, I'm sure). I was so darn excited--and relieved--and happy. I woke Tim up to share my good news, and he asked if I got hired for the Expert position or the Specialist position. The email didn't say. Johnny called a couple minutes later to officially offer me the position, and it turns out it was the Expert position. He said that everyone had absolutely loved me, and that he was really excited for me to join the team.

I went in to the store around 10 today to do some paperwork. It is amazing. I can already tell that I am going to love it, but I am also a little intimidated. What if I don't learn things fast enough? What if I'm not as good as they think I am? I think I will be fine, but I did feel a little overwhelmed this morning. Johnny kept introducing me to everyone (they have over 100 employees at that store alone). One of the employees said, "Oh, so THIS is Danielle--Johnny has been talking about you all morning, it's Danielle this, Danielle that...he's really excited. He said it was 'like' at first sight." That made me feel so good! And Johnny told me that for my position, they usually hire up from within, but I was the first outside hire for that position at that store. He also told me that the first time he interviewed me, he had a feeling that I would be the new Expert, and the first out-of-store hire. He had me interview with the regional manager first, hoping that he would also see what he saw in me. Turns out, he did.

I had some thoughts today similar to what I think Peter might have felt, when he asked Christ to be able to walk out on the water to him. Peter knew what he wanted to do, and he asked for it. Then when it came time to complete the task and have faith, his faith waivered. "But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me." I definitely felt like that at times--I let fear get in the way of my faith. Christ "stretched forth his hand, and caught him," and said, "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" Looking back now, it is easy to say, "Of course I was going to get the job!" But before you know, for sure, it's always hard for me to feel secure. I have learned so much more about putting my trust in Heavenly Father, and learning to have patience according to His time.

Tim and I have been really, truly blessed--even though it may seem like a trivial thing, we have needed it so much. And I think that that is what God cares about in the end, are things that matter most to us.

Well, it's been a GREAT day so far, guys--I hope to get pictures of the couch cover I made up soon. Yes! Me! I MADE a couch cover! And it didn't turn out too bad! Be amazed! I know I am...

Congrats Danita Conchita Marguerita Esperanza De La Fuente y Carmen de Stratford. And a special thanks for clearing up the "I'm not unemployed anymore!!!" comment - I was totally in the dark, puzzled, mystified and close to entering into a deep fugue - but I labored on, and as I broke through the ramparts posing as parentheses, hurdled over the somewhat redundant "ie" and finally reached those illuminating and glorious words "I got a job"...well, it was like sunrise over the ocean from the porch of the Villa in Zacatitos. Comprehension blossomed, the clouds of confusion lifted and the illuminating rays of enlightenment filled the void. I understood. There is no other way to put it - oh the limitations of keyboard and flickering screen.

Yay! Yay! and one more Yay! just for you! (I like !! today, too) I'm so excited for you, but even more excited for the people you get to work with. They will get to see the amazing woman you are, too. Lucky them. And blessed you.